Sir Robert Norramby
Sir Richard Robert Norramby (1940) is the Earl of Sodor. Due to his involvement in the Duchy of Lancaster, he is called the "Duke of Sodor" by the people of Sodor. He owns Stephen, Millie, and a dual gauge tourist railway at Ulfstead Castle, and is Duke's current grace. Biography ''The Railway Series Sir Robert Norramby was born in 1940. He succeeded to the role of Earl of Sodor at only three years old, when his father, Robert Charles Norramby, was killed in the war. He was seven years old when the Mid Sodor Railway closed down, and was unaware that the Dukes had been presented with an engine named in their honour, Duke. As such, he never claimed him for himself when the railway closed down, and Duke was sheeted up in the engine shed at Arlesdale. (''Book; The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways) In 1965, Sir Robert Norramby, aged 25, came to the Skarloey Railway to open the new loop line around the lake. In the middle of his speech, the Duke was interrupted by Peter Sam, who asked him if he was real. Having already expected the question, the Duke cheerfully told Peter Sam that he was, indeed, a real person. (RWS; Very Old Engines) The Duke later arrived at the site of the original Mid Sodor Railway sheds to see Duke when he was rediscovered in 1969. He was 29 years old when Duke was rediscovered. (RWS; Duke the Lost Engine) ''Thomas & Friends After many years of travelling across the world, Sir Robert Norramby returned to the Island of Sodor, with plans to restore Ulfstead Castle and open it as a public tourist attraction. Immediately upon his return to the Island, he began construction for the castle and requested the assistance of Jack and the North Western Railway engines, but many of the engines did not know what his plan was. Although the Earl had collected several medieval artifacts for the castle and even acquired a new steam engine, Stephen, to take tourists around the castle after its restoration, he still lacked King Godred's lost crown, which he was desperate to find. When Stephen rediscovered the crown after he became trapped in the mine, the Earl was delighted, and proudly showed the crown off during the grand opening of Ulfstead Castle. (''TVS; King of the Railway During the Christmas season, the Earl managed to get the Fat Controller to dress up as Santa Claus to entertain the children at the castle's Christmas party. However, the Earl wanted the Fat Controller to ride in a sleigh to make his appearance seem more convincing, and even went as far as to get a real sleigh and a fleet of live reindeer for him. This plan nearly ended in disaster when the Fat Controller and the sleigh were sent down the hill, but Thomas managed to rescue him. The Earl gave Thomas a red nose, and allowed him to take the sleigh into the castle for the party. (TVS; Santa's Little Engine) Personality and Traits Physical Appearance Appearances The Railway Series Thomas & Friends Trivia Gallery References Category:Awdry-created characters Category:Ulfstead Castle Estate Railway Category:Humans